Dear Teenmag.com
I have this problem. I think of committing suicide a lot. At home my brother always hits me and calls me really bad names. He makes me feel awful. Sometimes he will walk up to me at just punch me until I scream. He's never like this when my parents are home. Sometimes it gets so bad that I pick up a sharp object and think about ending it right there. I almost go through with it, but something stops me. I'm afraid to tell my mom and dad because I don't know what to say. Please help me.

--Scared and Confused, 13

Dear Scared and Confused,
Why would you want to kill yourself just because your brother hits you? Would escaping the hitting and name-calling be worth all the pain that you would cause your family? Think of it this way, your brother can't "make" you feel anything! You are in charge of how you react to his bullying. Tell your parents that your brother is being a jerk. Show them your bruises, tell them he's taking a toll on your mental health and ask them to do something!

If there is something more serious going on here that you're not telling me then you really need to find an adult you can trust and tell them everything that's happening.

Otherwise, think of all the people with truly horrible lives who don't think about killing themselves. Put your problems in perspective. Take care of yourself and don't be a victim!